Garment collar provided with bow tie simulation



June 7, 1955 J. CLENDENIN, JR

GARMENT COLLAR PROVIDED WITH BOW TIE SIMULATION Filed Oct. 8. 1953 ts Fig. 5

k P mJ mm H a. I w a J United States Patent Office 2,709,813 Patented June 7, 1955 GARMENT COLLAR PROVIDED WITH BOW T SllVIULATION Joseph Clentlenin, In, Jacksonville, Fla.

Application October 8, 1953, Serial-No. 384,944

1 Claim. (Cl. 2-130) This invention relates generally to articles of apparel, and has particular reference to a garment such as a mans shirt and to the collar portion thereof.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a shirt or similar article in which there is a neckband and a collar, and in which the collar ends are adapted to simulate the wings of a bow tie or cravat, there being also an element interposed between the collar ends when the collar is closed and adapted to simulate the knot of the bow tie, thus affording the appearance of a complete properly tied bow tie although no bow tie, as such, is actually present.

By the present invention, a shirt collar and simulated bow tie form a unitary article of apparel that may be manufactured for approximately the cost of the collar alone, as a negligible amount of additional material and labor is required. The combination shirt collar and simulated bow tie may be permanently fixed to or be separably attached to a shirt, as desired. Further, the simulated cravat may be laundered, or otherwise cleaned and pressed, together with the associated shirt or collar, by the same procedure and with the same equipment as the shirt or collar alone.

Another advantage of the improved combination collar and necktie simulation is that it eliminates a neck encircling tie portion, thereby saving considerable material and affording a lighter, cooler feeling to the wearer. While this is particularly advantageous in connection with summer formal wear, the new collar construction of the invention is equally well adapted for other kinds of analogous clothes, both street and sport wear. Further, the device is admirably well suited for military and other uniforms wherein arduous duties must often be performed under certain dress requirements.

The simulated bow tie of the present invention does not require any tying or other separate operation, and r appears correctly tied upon mere closing of the shirt collar. Further, the necktie simulation cannot become dislodged when in use, or misplaced when not in use, and is devoid of objectionable protuberances.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide the novel combination, with a shirt collar having end portions adapted to simulate wings of a bow tie, of a collar fastener adapted to simulate the knot of the bow tie and to cooperate with the collar end portions to simulate the complete bow tie.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a front view showing a shirt having a collar constructed in accordance with the present invention, the collar being in closed, tie simulating condition;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the shirt collar in open condition;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-section on the line 33 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a slightly modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing a separate shirt collar constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 6 shows a collar stud adapted for use with the collar of Figure 5.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1-3 comprises a shirt 10 having separable front portions 11 and 12 adapted to be closed by buttons 13 or other suitable fastening means. Secured about the neck portion of the shirt 10 is a neck encircling member or band 14 whose end portions 15 and 16 are secured, respectively, to the front shirt portions 11 and 12, in a conventional manner. When the neck band 14 is closed, the end portion 15 underlies the end portion 16; and I have shown interengageable snap clasp elements 17 and 18 for releasably holding the neck band in closed condition.

Extending along and overlying the neck band 14 is a collar 20 having end portions 21 and 22 lying adjacent to the neck band end portions 15 and 16, respectively. The collar ends 21 and 22 may be pointed, as illustrated in the drawings, or may be rounded or otherwise shaped, as desired or determined by fashion.

Provided on the outer surfaces of the collar ends 21 and 22 are patches or patch-like elements 23 and 24 so arranged that when the neck band is closed they appear adjacent to the fastener 18, as shown in Figure 1. The patches 23 and 24 are formed as distinguishable areas shaped to simulate the wings of a bow tie, and may be formed by marking, embroidering, printing or embossing the collar end portions, by ailixing separate patch pieces to the collar ends, by integrally weaving in or otherwise forming the distinguishable areas, or in any other desired way. Of course, the patch pieces may be formed of any desired material, and may be secured to the collar ends by gluing, sewing or other suitable securing means. The fastener 18 is made relatively large and of appropriate shape and ornamentation, and will appear between and adjacent to the patches 23 and 24 when the shirt collar is closed, as seen in Figure l. The fastener 18 serves to simulate the knot of the bow tie and cooperates with the patches 23 and 24 to complete the simulation. The fastener 18 and areas 23 and 24 may be provided with the same or different ornamentation, according to taste.

Since the areas 23 and 24 are either integral with or fixedly secured to the collar end portions, it will be understood that the shirt and collar may be cleaned and pressed in exactly the same manner as a conventional shirt and collar. Further, if desired, a second pair of patches may be formed on the internal collar surface to permit continued use of the combination collar and simulated necktie if and when the collar is turned.

In Figure 4 I have shown a modified form of the present invention, wherein the element 18', secured to the neck band part 16, is shaped and ornamented to simulate the knot of a bow tie, but is not adapted for interengaging relation with the neck band part 15. Additional means is provided for fastening the neck band 14 in closed condition, such as a loop 25 on the part 16 for receiving the button 26 on the part 15. As before, the element 18' is interposed between and adjacent to the areas 23 and 24 and combines therewith to simulate a complete bow tie.

It will be apparent that various fastening devices, such as a button and buttonhole, a collar stud and registering buttonholes, or other elements, may be substituted for the snap clasp elements 17 and 18 of Figure 2 and the elements 25, 26 of Figure 4.

In Figure 5 I have shown a detachable neck band 14 and a collar 20' extending along and secured to the neck band. The collar ends 21 and 22 are provided with wing simulating areas 23' and 24 in the same manner as before. The end portions 15' and 16' of the neck band 14' are formed with apertures or buttonholes 27 and 28 for the reception of a collar stud 29, such as that shown in Figure 6. When in use, the collar stud 29 lies between the areas 23 and 24 not only serving to hold the collar in closed condition but also cooperating with the areas to simulate a complete bow tie.

The bow tie simulation of the present invention may be employed with soft, semi-hard or hard collars, and the manner of forming or attaching the distinguishable areas may be chosen accordingly.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that changes and modifications may be made without necessarily departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an article of apparel, a neck band open at the front, a collar on said neck band with its ends lying in spaced opposed relation on opposite sides of said front opening, each of said collar ends being provided said collar ends when the neck band is closed and being of a shape and size to simulate the tied knot of said bow tie and extending between the opposed spaced ends of the collar when in the fastened position, said knotsimulating element and the adjacent wing-simulating areas on each side of it combining to simulate the appearance of the complete tied bow tie.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 155,381 Black Oct. 4, 1949 45,681 Spolford et a1. Dec. 27, 1864 357,071 Dove et a1 Feb. 1, 1887 780,237 Sheckells Jan. 17, 1905 2,647,262 Crothers Aug. 4, 1953 

